Football

Villas-Boas returns to coaching in July

Andre Villas-Boas giving instructions to some of the participants of the football clinic at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi.

PETALING JAYA: Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas-Boas is back in business.

The 36-year-old Portuguese is returning to coaching but declined to elaborate on his new appointment.

“I think I will go back to work again. I will be back coaching in July. I have received offers and had talks. I got offers to start from the beginning of the new season and I’m ready to start again,” said Villas-Boas.

Last December, he was sacked as Tottenham manager after 17 months on the job. However, the flamboyant manager said his new stint would not be in England.

“The English Premier League (EPL) is the best league in the world. There is no doubt about it. I am looking for a different challenge and culture this time. I will search for a different league. I have been doing some travelling now. I was in Doha to watch Bayern Munich train,” said Villas-Boas.

As one of the three ambassadors for the world renowned Laureus Academy, he was here to announce the nominees for the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards. The other two ambassadors are former French national skipper Marcel Desailly and five-time world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan.

“The Laureus World Sports Awards is considered the Oscars of sports. It has been a privilege to travel around the world and carry out the projects. Laureus provides people with the right values, social values and the values represent what Laureus is all about,” he said.

Villas-Boas previously managed Porto, the team he led to an undefeated 2010–11 season in the Primeira Liga, winning four trophies and becoming the youngest manager to win a European title. He also spent nine months as manager of Chelsea in the 2011-2012 season.